Tips on leading a successful Skilio Session
We believe that everyone has a skill to share. Which is why we built Skilio for you.
Whether you're passionate about paleontology or your mojo is more mathematics than mohjito, you can use your love for a skill or subject to inspire the hundreds of others on Skilio that are seeking to learn more about it. By connecting with them live via a Skilio Session, you not only get to talk about what you love, you will also be paid for your time and gain recognition for your expertise - instantly.
How do I set up a new Skilio Session?
I've created my Skilio Session. Now where do I go from here?
Which teaching format will work best for me?
I'm all set. Now how do I spread the word?
Alright - let's get skilioing!
How do I set up a new Skilio Session?
Setting up a new Skilio Session is simple! Here's how you do it:
Create a new Skilio Session
Go to My Skilio > Sessions I'm leading and click on the blue button 'New Skilio Session'.
Select a skill to share
Select a skill from your existing skills list. You can also add a new one by clicking on the 'Add skill' link.
Choose a Session Name
We would recommend that you keep the Session name short and pertinent. Make sure that it communicates the point of the Session to others.
Add a description
This is the space where you can really sell your Session, so it's worth highlighting what benefits the skills or knowledge you want to share can bring to others.
Start by stating what participants can expect to learn and more specifically, how it will help them. Describe who your Skilio Session is aimed at (level, age group if relevant etc), and what you will be doing in the Session (language role plays, cutting out sewing patterns, giving a 20 minute lecture on Jean-Paul Sartre). Finally, ensure that you let potential participants know what, if any, materials they will need to bring with them.
Access and Visibility
Do you want as many people as possible to know about your Session, or do you want to keep it visible only to those that you invite? What is the optimum number of people you want to share this Session with at any one time? This is where you can select how your Skilio Session will be displayed on the site and whether you want to accept registered guests only, or are happy to welcome anyone with an interest to join.
Payment options
There are no set fees on Skilio - members negotiate the price that suits them best. When considering what is a fair price, we recommend that you research what others charge for teaching similar skills. From there, adapt the fee in accordance with your experience. You may need to spend some time preparing for your Skilio Session or buying materials to deliver the Session (ingredients for example), so remember to factor that into your costs. Then add up these fees, together with how much you would like to be paid, divide it by the number of participants you wish to have in one Session and there you have it - an educated guess at the minimum payment you require. Remember also that Skilio charges you a 15% commission on any skills exchange where payment is made in cash.
Once you have settled on a price, enter the payment type you prefer to be paid in. You can choose to be paid either in Skilio Credits or in cash. Skilio credits can be exchanged for future Sessions. For the time being they are not redeemable against money and we do not charge a commission on credits. If you wish to be paid in cash, please select the currency you prefer. Note that for cash payments you will need to charge a minimum of 5 GBP per participant to cover the transaction costs.
Set a time, date and duration
Some things can be shared instantly. But other topics may require some preparation in advance, so allow yourself the time necessary to fully prepare for your Skilio Session when thinking about an appropriate time and date. Check that your time zone is correct. If you wish to change it you can do so in My Skilio > Settings.
When it comes to how long your ideal Session should be, ask yourself whether you are just meeting for a regular mentoring chat, or if your Session will need to have a more traditional class structure. Think about how much time it will take you to fully cover all the points you wish to address during your Session, and then add around 15 minutes on top of that to allow for introductions and so on. If you plan on leading a Session that lasts over 90 minutes, it is worth factoring in a five minute pause here and there to allow for bathroom breaks or a quick cup of coffee.
Select participants
You are now able to select your participants. Add the names of those you have already agreed to teach. You can also invite other people you think might be interested in joining your Session. This participant list can be edited and added too at any time before the Session. Don't know if your participants are on Skilio? You can invite them using their email address. Once you are happy with the participant list, you just need to click 'Save Changes'.
Send your invitations
The invitation page contains a pre-formatted email which includes the URL, start time and description of the Session.
We would encourage you to also use this space to enter a personal message. You may want to include some links to helpful resources online which will support your Session, such as a link to your blog or an appropriate article or video. Background information will give your participants a chance to prepare before your Skilio Session kicks off, and lead to a deeper learning experience for those involved.
You can choose whether simply to send the invite or send the invitation and start the Session right away.
I've created my Skilio Session. Now where do I go from here?
Start by mentally preparing how you want to deliver a great Session. Here are some pointers:
Enjoy what you teach
It's always more fun to learn from someone who loves what they do. If you are passionate about your skill or area of expertise, share it.
Be yourself
Always remember that you have been asked to deliver this Skilio Session because of your knowledge and passion for your skill. When planning your Skilio Session, draw on your experience to give others a real understanding of your subject area. Anecdotal tips on how you overcame a certain obstacle or dealt with a particular situation can be a great way to back up your teaching points. Share your stories.
Be interested in others
Find out why your participants are taking part in the Skilio Session. Have they always had a passion for your skill? Are they hoping to retrain in a specific area? Do they just want some quick expertise or are they looking for something more social? By understanding the motivations of your participants, you can tailor your material to their needs.
Set a goal for the Session
What should a participant be able to do at the end of the Session? Think about what it is that you can do in your skill area, and then break that down into what you expect students to be able to achieve at various levels of competency. This will help you to plan what you want to teach, and how you want to do it. Consider also, how you want your participants to engage with the material you are sharing and how you will assess them.
State your expectations
Let everyone know exactly what it is that you need them to do in order for the Session to be as successful as possible. It might be as simple as that they turn up on time, or that they check out some of the background links you emailed them in the invitation. Whatever it is that you need your participants to do to achieve their learning goal, state it clearly from the beginning.
Pace yourself
Give yourself and others the time to introduce themselves and get comfortable. If your Session is based around you giving a lecture or talking, make sure that you leave plenty of opportunity for questions or student participation afterwards. Ideally, your talk should take up about half of the allocated Session time. This gives students the time to interact and get 'hands on' afterwards.
Do a sound check
Before you start any Skilio Session, always make sure that you have tested your sound and webcam. No one wants to wait 15 minutes for you to get your microphone working. We recommend that you give yourself plenty of time to familiarise yourself with the Skilio room and how to use the webcam effectively, so that if there is any issue you have lots of time to deal with it.
If you encounter any technical difficulties you can check out our FAQ page or request help via the feedback form.
Which teaching format will work best for me?
Here are some ideas on how different ways that you can present your skill or knowledge and help others learn.
Demonstration or Skill-Building Activities
If you choose to demonstrate your skills directly, everyone has a chance to see how you do things yourself, with the benefit of getting hands-on practice if you set a specific task afterwards. The chance to participate makes it much easier for people to integrate a skill, but if you choose this format, make sure you have a go at practicing the skill-building activity yourself before the Session starts, so you know how you are going to do it via Skilio.
Role Plays and Simulation
Role plays are a great tool for giving participants time to practice what you have just taught them and making sense of concepts in a practical way. Members of your Session can try out several different roles, and use this experience to see a subject from multiple view points. For best results, brief your participants on the purpose of the role play and what you want them to do. Keep the content focused on your goals and objectives for the overall Session and maintain a sense of humour. Finally give timely and appropriate feedback and ask other members of the Session to give their point of view too.
Brainstorming
Start with a mental warm up - give people an intellectual game or task to break the ice and get the group thinking laterally. It helps to be absolutely clear about the focus of your brainstorming Session. Encourage everyone to contribute, and avoid putting down another persons idea. If you feel the energy waiver or the discussion go off-target, pick up the best idea so far and put it up for analysis or as a spring board for more thoughts. Use mind mapping techniques to visually track where your brainstorming Session is leading and encourage participants to mentally picture the concepts that are emerging.
Lectures
This format can be very successful if you wish to reach a maximum number of people in one go. Nobody wants to be talked at for hours at a time, so to make your lectures engaging and involve your audience - ask members to visualise or imagine a scenario or object. Use inspiring pictures that relate to your goal, rather than overwhelming the audience with text or graphs, and aim at varying your pace and the tone of your voice to keep things fluid. If you have more than 10 people participating, we would recommend you get students to ask any questions via the chat box.
Coaching /Mentoring
If coaching or mentoring works best for you and your student, then start by understanding exactly what it is the other needs and draw on your own experience to guide and support them. Making a list of all the things you wish you would have known when you were in their position is a good place to start. You don't need to inundate the participant with facts - instead share the stories and landscape that made you, and the wisdom you gained as a result. Listen deeply and ask thought provoking questions. Offer observations on how to navigate your particular skill or knowledge area, and be supportive and respectiful.
I'm all set. Now how do I spread the word?
Leading a Skilio Session is an excellent way to consolidate your reputation in your field. There are lots of free and effective ways that you can tell the world about your Skilio Session:
Use your Blog
Put a link to the Session on your blog. Its a real advantage for your readers to be able to ask you questions in real time, and it will help build a sense of community around your blog if followers can actually see and speak to you as well as just read your posts. If you have a limit to the number of participants you can manage at any one time, be sure to tell people how many 'seats' are available.
Send out a Tweet
Announce your Session on twitter and the potential is limitless. Use # followed by your skill name and mention @skilio when tweeting so more people will see your post.
Spread the word via Facebook
You can login to Skilio using your Facebook account, in which case your Skilio Session will automatically be reflected on your Facebook newsfeed, if you choose to make your Session publicly visible when creating it. Alternatively, create a Facebook event and invite your friends. When they sign up, the people in their network will also see it. Remember to put the link to your event on the Skilio Facebook page too!
Tell your LinkedIn network
Let people in your LinkedIn groups see that you are leading a Skilio Session. Soon members will be able to login to Skilio using LinkedIn, but you can already invite your network by posting the Session's URL on your profile or LinkedIn group.
Alright - let's get skilioing!
Here are some tips on how to structure your Session once you kick off:
Develop a positive atmosphere
Whether you say Bonjour, buenos dias, g'day, hi-ya, or howdy, allow everyone a chance to introduce themselves and say why they are here. Help everyone to interact in a friendly way, (ask them all to answer a fun question relative to your subject matter for example). Its a good way to break the ice, involves everyone from the beginning and gets you operating as a group.
Let everyone know what to expect
Take a few minutes to explain what you intend to cover in the Skilio Session and how the class will unfold. This gives participants a good idea of what to expect and puts people at ease.
Show and tell
Its always helpful to see someone demonstrate their skill, so make sure you take the time to show participants how you do things yourself. Give examples of what works and what doesn't and explain why. And give everyone plenty of time to have a go at trying to do what you are demonstrating.
Give feedback
Let people know how they are getting on and ask questions relating to what you've covered. If someone is doing something right acknowledge it and praise them. If you have to correct someone, try and let them see how how they could fix the problem themselves first, with your guidance. Be sure to listen to their explanations and reactions.
Finish on a positive note
Take time at the end to review what you covered in your Skilio Session and what everyone has now learnt. Draw on what was successful, and ask for feedback from your participants too, so that you get a good idea of what works for your group. Hint at what you will cover in your next Session, and agree a good time for everyone to join. Most people won't want homework, but you can certainly give them tips on where to go for further information on your skill to keep them hooked for next time.
